682

CLOSE AND RESULTS OF THE BATTLE.

were placed as a reserve. But the enemy had brought a part of his forces from his left and A. P. Hill's division which had been in reserve, and flung these comparatively fresh troops upon Burnside's wearied veterans, and compelled his left to fall back. Most urgently did Burnside appeal to Gen. McClellan for re-enforcement, but though Fitz John Porter's corps, fifteen thousand strong, had been in reserve through the whole day, the commanding General sent back a message that he could not give him a man, and directed him to hold the bridge at all hazards. Sturgis' division, though almost without ammunition, was ordered up, and maintained the position, firing 'their last cartridges as it began to grow dark, and finding that they held their ground stubbornly, the rebels ceased their fire, just as the light was fading out in the west. In the struggle to maintain the position so gallantly won, on the heights above Sharpsburg, Gen. Rodman was mortally wounded. The ninth army corps, and indeed the whole army, maintained the position they occupied at night-fall of the 17th, through the whole of the 18th; Gen. McClellan deeming them too much exhausted to renew the battle, and preferring to await a re-enforcement of fifteen thousand men whom he expected by evening of that day. Some of the corps commanders, Gen's. Burnside and Franklin in particular, were very desirous of renewing the conflict the next morning, believing that the result of a battle would be the complete defeat and rout of the enemy; but the Commanding General thought otherwise, expressing his determination, however, to attack at day-break on the 19th. On the night of the 18th, Lee moved across the Potomac with his army, in good order and without molestation.

The battle of Antietam, though one of the severest of the war, and in the slaughter and wounding of general and field officers more disastrous than any other, was, at best, but a drawn battle. The rebel army, though it retired across the Potomac the night but one after the conflict, was not defeated,

or so seriously disabled as to have been incapable of maintaining its position; and the Union army, though it had lost heavily, was in condition to have renewed the battle the succeeding day, had its commander so decided. The object for which the battle was fought was not attained. The rebel army was not prevented from returning to Virginia, and the war was not shortened by this battle, or indeed by the entire Maryland campaign.

The losses on both sides were very heavy. On the Union side, Gen. McClellan reported two thousand and ten killed, nine thousand four hundred and sixteen wounded, and one thousand forty-three missing, making a total of casualties of twelve thousand four hundred and sixty-nine, and in the two battles, South Mountain and Antietam,—fourteen thousand seven hundred and ninety-four. He estimated the rebel loss at twenty-five thousand five hundred and forty-two, of whom about five thousand were prisoners. Their own official reports were not published, but the correspondents of the southern papers did not admit so large a loss, though acknowledging that fourteen to fifteen thousand were hors du combat. They had two Generals killed and seven wounded. On the Union side, Gen's Mansfield, Rodman and Richardson, were killed or mortally wounded, and Gen's. Hooker, Sedgwick, Hartsuff, Dana, and Meagher were wounded.

On the 20th of September, the enemy evacuated Harper's Ferry, and fell back in the direction of Charlestown and Winchester. A part, however, remained for a day or two longer in the immediate vicinity of the Potomac, as Col. Barnes, commanding a brigade of Union troops who attempted to cross and attack them without orders, on the 21st, found to his cost, being compelled to retreat with a loss of one hundred and fifty in killed, wounded, and missing.

After the retreat of the rebels to Winchester, Gen. McClellan remained on the north side of the Potomac, called for

684

PURSUIT DELAYED

CONTROVERSY.

more re-enforcements, and announced his determination to fortify Maryland Heights, and to devote "a reasonable time to the organization of the army, and instruction of the new troops, preparatory to an advance on whatever line might be determined." He insisted that all the troops in and about Washington should be given him, except a small garrison force, and pledged himself, if allowed to take his own course, to be responsible for the safety of Washington. But "in any event," he said in his letter to Gen. Halleck, of September 27, “I regard it as absolutely necessary to send new regiments at once to the old corps, for purposes of instruction, and that the old regiments be filled at once." Gen. Halleck, Commander-inchief, and the President, both urged him to move forward, while the roads were good, and attack Gen. Lee, and if possible cut him off from Richmond, but finding their requests of no avail, Gen. Halleck, on the 6th of October, sent him a peremptory order to move, assuring him of prompt reenforcements.

While he did not refuse to obey this order directly, Gen. McClellan, by a great variety of excuses, delayed crossing till the 26th of October, and it was not till the 3d of November, that the rear of his army had reached the south side of the Potomac. At one time, he was waiting for the river to rise; at another, more shoes were needed by his men; at another, he had not horses enough, and was receiving only one hundred and fifty per week;-the Quartermaster General's vouchers showed that he received an average of one thousand four hundred and fifty-nine a week, or eight thousand seven hundred and fifty-four in all ;—again, he feared that Stuart would make a raid into Pennsylvania, if he moved;-Stuart had just made such a raid, and made a complete circuit of his army, without molestation;—again, he could not move till the railroads were all repaired, and his horses needed rest; finally, he wanted time to consider what route to take. To these excuses, both the Pres

ident and General Halleck replied, assuring him of the prompt filling of all his requisitions for supplies, and showing the absolute necessity for prompt movement.

At last, after all persuasions and orders had been tried in vain, the President, fully satisfied that Gen. McClellan had no intention of moving upon the enemy, relieved him of his command, on the 5th of November, and put Major General Burnside in his place.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE GUERRILLA OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKYTHE EXPEDITION OF GEN. E. KIRBY SMITH

-THE RACE BETWEEN BRAGG AND

BUELL BATTLE OF CHAPLIN

HILLS OR PERRYVILLE.

Raids of Morgan and Forrest-Their Results-Capture of Murfreesboro, Tenn. -Gen. E. Kirby Smith leaves Jacksborough, Tenn., with Fifteen Thousand Men, and Crosses the Cumberland Mountains - The Battles near Richmond, Ky. -Surrender of Gen. Manson's Command-Smith Proceeds to Lexington and Frankfort-His Proclamation-Gen. Bragg's Expedition- Enters Glasgow -His Proclamation- Appears before Munfordsville and Demands its Surrender-Brave and Protracted Defence of the place by Col's Wilder and Dunham - Its Final Surrender-Bragg's Subsequent Course-Gen. Buell's Pursuit of Him-He Reaches Lebanon, Tennessee-Drives Bragg from Woodsonville and Munfordsville-Pursues Bragg along the Louisville and Nashville Rail Road-Passes him at Leesville and goes on to Louisville-He is then Removed from the Command, but Re-instated at the Instance of Kentuckian Generals-Pursues Bragg with a Hundred Thousand Men-The Battle of Chaplin Hills or Perryville - Losses on Both Sides -Bragg Escapes - Buell's Delay in Pursuing Him-His Retreat to Cumberland Gap and Buell's Pursuit — Army of the Ohio re-called to Louisville-Buell Removed and Gen. Rosecrans Appointed to Succeed Him-Bragg in Tennessee - Morgan Remains in Kentucky.

The summer of 1862, except in the extreme west and southwest, was not fruitful of victories. In the army of the Potomac, the army of Virginia, and the army of the Ohio, disaster followed disaster, and the armies, losing confidence in their leaders, though fighting far better than could have been expected under the circumstances, still wearied of a contest in which they were so generally the losers.

In completing our narrative of the campaigns of Gen. McClellan and Gen. Pope, in the east, we have necessarily omit